


Escape the Night – OET: Christmas in the North Pole Part Three

by Dede42



Series: Our Eternity Together - Delta's POV [8]
Category: Creepypasta - Fandom, Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Fandom RPF, Multi-Fandom, Original Work, Our ETerNity Together (Web Series AU)
Genre: Christmas Time, Elves, F/F, Hypnosis, LGBTQ Female Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:40:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 7,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26142007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dede42/pseuds/Dede42
Summary: Cecelia has taken Mystic and Sierra! The gang is in turmoil, someone new is going to show up, and Delta just can't seem to prove herself to the group. Will Delta ever be useful or is she doomed to be invisible forever?
Relationships: ETNMystic (Fandom RPF)/Ivy Flora (Mystic's OC)
Series: Our Eternity Together - Delta's POV [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1738468
Comments: 32
Kudos: 1





	1. PROLOGUE: CHRISTMAS FAIL

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ETNMystic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ETNMystic/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Our Eternity Together](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16768489) by [ETNMystic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ETNMystic/pseuds/ETNMystic). 



> Hello, world and welcome back to Escape the Night!
> 
> It's time for part three of the Christmas installment and things aren't looking too good. Onward!

**PROLOGUE: CHRISTMAS FAIL**

*****

When we all first ended up in Santa’s workshop, it’d felt like a dream come true with discovering that Santa Claus was real, that his workshop was a real place, the reindeer were real, and so were the elves. It was  _really_ exciting to work jobs in the workshop…at least at first.

Mystic and I were the ones to pick up on the fact that not all was perfect in the North Pole, especially with the elves, and when I overheard them talking about Mystic, Orpheus, and myself, I realized that these elves had it in with those who had disabilities like autism, and Mystic even recorded the conversations she’d overheard.

It all came to a head at the Christmas party when Mystic and I didn’t get Secret Santa presents, and when Mystic tried to figure out why, the elves turned on her, calling her names, taking retardation out of context, being outright rude, and they even tried to shove her out of the room – until she screamed at them before running off.

I was upset and angry at the treatment by the elves as it was, but when I tried to help comfort Mystic in the dorms, I ended up getting shoved aside, and I retreated to my bed, feeling hurt for being excluded at a time like that.

I was all for asking Mystic to use a teastone to send me home after I was also excluded from being able to help with the party in the dorms, but Ines managed to talk me down and someone, I don’t know who, gave me a Secret Santa present and an encouraging note that helped me emotionally and mentally, plus helped restored my Christmas spirit.

Of course, just when things are going great, that was usually when things would take a turn for the worse, and that  _did_ happen when Mystic learned that Envy had used some of her teastones to create a tracker that he, apparently, given to Alice, and it seemed to have disappeared because of a red blur that both Andrea B. and I had caught a glimpse of.

This had lead to Mystic running away, the rest of us searching her, and we did find Mystic, being hypnotized by a woman named Cecelia, who managed to also hypnotize Sierra before disappearing with both of them.

And during all of this, I hadn’t been able to do anything, I was useless and the overall group was still ignoring me like before. Yeah, this was turning into the worst Christmas ever, and it wasn’t even over yet.

Why am I  _so_ useless? Why?


	2. CHAPTER ONE: MORE FRIENDS TAKEN!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, world and welcome back to Escape the Night!
> 
> This is turning into a Christmas nightmare for the group, and it looks like it's going to get worse before it gets better. Onward!

**CHAPTER ONE: MORE FRIENDS TAKEN!**

*****

Waiting for something to happen or to be called on to help with something isn’t always easy for me, and these days, it was increasingly becoming harder with this group of YouTubers and writers, many of whom kept excluding me, leaving me out of the loop, or just flat out ignoring me.

What made it worse, Mystic and Sierra had been snatched by a woman named Cecelia, who was Genevieve’s evil twin. I  _wish_ I had something to do, for all this waiting was making my edgy, and whenever I got edgy with impatience, my right leg started bouncing, and right now it was in full bouncing mode.

I was  _definitely_ getting impatient.

_‘_ _I_ really  _need something to do,’_ I thought, my leg bouncing in full sewing machine mode,  _‘please let them_ ask  _me if I have any skills that can be of use,_ please _!’_

I was jolted out of my thoughts when Oli, Eva, GloZell, Tana, and Roi all returned, and they were clearly out of breath, plus clutching damp papers.

“Guys, where have you been?" Joey gasped.

"We got trapped in the library," Eva explained. "And we had to do this, like, mini-escape room, but guys, we need to leave the North Pole. Like, now!"

"Well yeah," Alice matter-of-factly, shaking off the shock for another day. "We're not safe now that Cecelia knows where we are."

"No, this is worse,” Eva insisted. “The elves kept running off from us, and then in the library, we found these blueprints.” And Tana held up the papers, plus she pulled out a bottle.

“What is that?" Justine asked.

Safiya took the papers and spread them out on a nearby table as we all gathered around. “It looks like some sort of…coffin,” she answered.

Justine flinched and inched away a little. "Okay, then I'm staying far away from that."

"It's not a coffin. Read the note," Eva said, pointing to a note that was on the blueprint.

“‘The chamber of innocence requires a being that radiates pure innocence in order to power the North Pole. To identify the one who holds such a power, whenever they are placed in a situation where they experience wonder or joy, there will be a glowing white aura surrounding them. The brighter the aura, the more powerful their wonder and joy are’.”

"Oh f*," Andrea R. whispered, her face going pale. "That aura means she-"

"-Can become their next power source," Tana sighed.

I noticed that Oli was doing a quick headcount, and I realized at the same time he did that there was someone missing.

"Guys…where's the other Andrea?" he asked.

We all looked around, but…she was nowhere to be found.

"There's only one explanation," Safiya gasped. "Cecelia’s returned.”

“Not again,” I moaned, for now we had three friends taken.

“Cecelia's back?" Justine exclaimed.

“Is there any chance she could be avoided?" Lauren asked.

"I don't know," Tyler squealed in a panic. "I don't even understand why she took Sierra or Andrea."

Something in my brain clicked, I knew why. “Oh no, because in ETN, they’re considered not be that useful,” I realized and Ines nodded in agreement, but she was the only one who was actually listening to me.

"Well, the sooner we can find her, the sooner she can be broken free of her-" Alison began.

"Where do you think _you're_ going?”

We all jumped and spun to face the doorway, where Andrea B. was standing, gripping Envy by his arm with one hand, and in her other hand was the tracker. But there was something offish about her, she seemed…darker.

_‘_ _Oh crap,’_ I thought while Envy was pleading with Andrea B.,  _‘she’s been whammy!’_

“Don't…please…Andrea!"

"I do apologize, but she will _not_ be listening to you,” Cecelia announced, appearing in the room, smirking. “She only obeys me. Aundrea, please turn that pesky device into smithereens."

"Yes, my lady.”

Andrea B. let go of Envy, dropped the tracker on the floor, and, before anyone could stop her, jumped on it repeatedly until it was so broken that it was practically dust.

“A...Andrea!" Envy was stunned.

"Well done, dark mistress," Cecelia said, smirking. "Now let us return to the castle.” She then made eye contact with Teala. “But…let's take this one with us.” And she was suddenly in front of Teala, embracing her.

“No!” I shouted.

“Teala!" Alice exclaimed. "Envy, save her!”

Envy sent vines toward Teala – but Cecelia, Teala, and Andrea B. all disappeared.

I was frozen in place. Once again, Cecelia had managed to take another member of the group, and I had realized that these were YouTubers who were considered useless or not pulling their weight in their respective seasons of ETN.  _‘How can we save our friends from someone like Cecelia?’_

We needed a miracle  _big time_ !

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No! Andrea B. has been brainwashed and Teala has been taken! When will Delta be able to prove herself? Why can't she catch a break?! Bye for now! R&R everyone!


	3. CHAPTER TWO: ENVY HAS A SISTER?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, world and welcome back to Escape the Night!
> 
> All right, so the reason I'm posting so many updates these days, is because I'm trying to catch up to where Mystic and Alice are in OET, and once I do that, I'll slow down on updating. Onward!

**CHAPTER TWO: ENVY HAS A SISTER?!**

*****

“No! Teala!” Roi ran to where Teala had been standing mere seconds ago, looking anguished.

“Teala!!!” Eva whipped her hat off in righteous indignation.

I just stood there, unable to think or process of how this was happening.  _‘Cecelia has taken Mystic, Sierra, Andrea B.,_ and  _now, Teala,’_ I thought, and when I did move, I sank into the chair from earlier.  _‘I couldn’t stop it, I_ just  _couldn’t stop it, and that means that I’m_ useless _! I shouldn’t even_ be here _! I’m just useless!’_

“First Sierra, now-”

“Envy!”

I started and looked around, trying to figure out what was going on, and I saw that Envy was kneeing over the dust that’d once been the tracker, and he was vainly trying to gather up the dust with his vines.

Alice and Candy Pop went to him. “Are you-?”

“It’s gone,” Envy said, staring at the dust that he was trying to gather up in vain. “It’s gone, and we’re losing everyone!!” he shouted, making myself and everyone else jump and stared at him.

“Maybe it could be fixed…again?” Alice suggested helpfully.

“I…I don’t…” Envy stammered, staring at the dust pile, and I couldn’t help but note that something was changing about him. “I don’t want to give up…” he barely whispered, but I could hear him. “I don’t _want_ to…”

“The universe must not like you,” Candy Pop remarked, earning a glare from Envy, and from nearly everyone else.

Envy stood up. “I’ll get a new one.”

“Envy, to do that, wouldn’t you have to go take another Tea Stone?” Alice asked uncertainly.

Envy’s expression darkened, and not from a blush this time. “…There has to be some way!” he snapped.

“Yeah, but-” Alice began.

“There just _has_ to be!!” Envy shouted, resulting in vines shooting up through the titles of the floor and into the walls, and we all ran for the door, saved for Alice, and I wished she would since plant boi’s eyes were turning red.

Candy Pop was also staying put and he was  _laughing_ . “You really think you can get away with anything around here?” he scoffed. “ _ I  _ couldn’t beat the system.  _ I  _ couldn’t.”

“Maybe someone **_should_** _!!_ ” Envy raged, doing more damage to the room that we could hear from the hallway, where we were huddled.

“Envy, what is this…?” Alice was asking. “What is that!?”

“We’ll find her. We’ll find _all_ of them,” Envy was vowing, and his voice was deepening in a dangerous way.

“Envy-”

“I’ll tear this place apart, and then _no one_ -” Envy continued, clearly ignoring Alice. “ ** _Will ever be hurt_**.” And through the doorway, I was shocked to see that his fingers were turning into claws. “ ** _We can stop humoring_** _Fate_ ** _now_** _!!!_ ”

“Do I have permission to knock him senseless, or should I let him vent for the evulz?” Candy Pop asked, and he was _actually_ looking scared.

“Candy Pop!!” Alice snapped.

“What?”

“Envy _stop_ _!!!_ ” Alice screamed, for she was clearly scared for her plant boi, especially since he was hulking out _big time_ , and she gasped when he almost threw her off his arm. “Envy stop it…”

“ ** _I’m_** **so** ** _sorry_** _…_ ” Envy whispered in his Hulk voice and he wrapped a vine around Alice’s waist with surprising gentleness, moving her out into the hallway to join the rest of us, with Candy Pop hurrying out as well. Good thing, too, because he then smashed through the floor, creating a massive hole, and he disappeared down it.

We all had gotten a bit banged up in the chaos, and we were all shaken by the sudden change in Envy, especially poor Alice.

“Is…is he gonna turn evil?" Lauren asked in fright.

“No, but he’s _definitely_ hulking out,” I remarked, rubbing my sore head, having gotten clocked by a piece of the ceiling.

"But…Envy's so sweet. Has this ever happened before?" Eva asked.

"And how do we stop him?" Andrea R. wondered, pacing.

"I wish I knew," Calliope admitted, sighing.

Alison, however, came up with an idea. “I think I may know of a way.” And we all looked at her.

“Well, tell us!" GloZell insisted.

Alison took a deep breath, clearly she was about to reveal something that she wasn’t too keen on talking about. “Someone in his family may be able to sense that he's become like that,” she finally told us. The only problem is I don't know if she's alive."

"How do you know her?" Safiya asked.

"She used to be a partner of the Society,” Alison explained. “Not part of it, but a partner of it. She and I worked closely on many navigational and blade-to-blade combats. I haven't seen her in ages, though, so there's a chance that she's-”

_CRACK!_

Another section of the ceiling cracked open like an egg, and we all ended up scattering as a female figure plummeted from the ceiling and hit the floor on their two feet, wearing an amulet and keeping a hold on her cutlass. She had dark hair, and looked very familiar to a few of the guests.

"Oh my God!" Joey gasped, backing away. "It's her!"

"It's Jezebel!" Alex exclaimed a little too happily.

"It's the woman who nearly cut my throat!" Colleen shrieked.

"And tried to cut off my arm!" Ro added.

We all backed away, except for Calliope, Jael, Ryu, and Alison.

"What are you doing?" Colleen exclaimed. "She's dangerous!"

Alison smirked as she got a good look at her. "Dangerous? Maybe,” she chuckled. “But I highly doubt she's going to be dangerous to us. On the contrary, I think she's here to help us."

The woman also smirked. "'S'been too long, Alison," she chuckled. "Didn't fink ye'd end up 'ere."

"Okay, that sounds like almost full-on Cockney," Safiya remarked.

"That's not entirely like how Jezebel speaks," Alex mourned. "But she sounds so much like her!"

"That's 'cause I ain't Jezebel, 'oever she is," she replied. "I'm someone be'er. An' I fink I can 'elp ye wif ye li'l situation wif Envy."

"How do you know Envy?" Bailey asked.

"'S'cause 'e's me younger brovver," she replied, smirking. "S'prised 'e never told ye 'bout me."

"Wait, so that makes you-" Joey began.

"-'is older sister," she finished.

I gaped. “Envy has a sister?!”

"Did Jezebel have a younger brother?" Alex asked.

"Ye can't stop wif ye wishful-finkin'," she rolled her eyes, frustrated. "I ain't Miss Jezebel."

"Well, if you're not Miss Jezebel," Bretman said. "Then who are you?"

Smirking, she spun her cutlass around a few times and placed it in its holder on her belt. "My name's Ivy. Ivy Flora.”

I couldn’t believe it, Envy has a _big sister_ , and if this is true, then I’m hoping _big time_ , that Ivy here will be able to help get Envy to calm down and stop being the Hulk in his mission to destroy the whole workshop. Who knows, she might be able to help us save our friends from Cecelia’s clutches, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enter Ivy Flora! Bye for now! R&R everyone!


	4. CHAPTER THREE: IVY AND ENVY, REUNITED

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, world and welcome back to Escape the Night!
> 
> Ivy has arrived! Can she get Envy out of Hulk mode? Onward!

**CHAPTER THREE: IVY AND ENVY, REUNITED**

*****

After Ivy revealed her identity, the area became  _so_ quiet, I was surprised that we weren’t hearing crickets, and the silence would’ve continued if Lauren hadn’t spoken up.

“Okay, is that true?" Lauren asked. "Are you really saying that you could help us calm down Envy?"

"Indeed," Ivy smirked. "Matter a fact, I'm pro'bly one a the only ones 'o can. So where is 'e?"

"We don't exactly know," Safiya admitted, sighing. "He kinda stormed off that way." And she gestured to the hole.

Ivy turned around and peered into the hole. "Ah, yeah I can sense 'im. C'mon." She jumped into the hole, and Safiya decided to follow her, as did a few others, and I also followed, wanting to see the reunion between her and Envy.

*****

We followed Ivy along the path of destruction that Envy was leaving behind, and while it was easy for her to get around over the debris scattered around, it was tougher for the rest of us, but we were managing to keep up.

*****

Eventually we got to where he was in a large empty room, and it was a rather horrific sight to say the least. The _whole_ room was overtaken by thorn-covered vines, it was growing rapidly, _and_ at the rate things were going, he was going to bring the _whole_ room down around our ears.

"Bloody 'ell," Ivy gasped. "Somefin musta really upset 'im for 'im to get this forny. I can't believe 'e's alive. Well, nofin' te do but jump right in!" And there she went.

We watched her from a relatively safe distance, dodging swinging thorn-covered vines and such.

"Oy! Envy!" she called out. "What's goin' on? This ain't like ye!"

_`“Who goes there?”`_ Envy demanded in a _really_ monstrous, demonic voice, but Ivy didn't seem phased.

"Ye don't remember me, brovver?"

_`"No…it can't be,”`_ Envy rumbled, but his voice was softening a little, _`“…_ _you…she's dead."`_

"I dunno 'o told ye I was dead, but they're dead wrong,” Ivy stated. “It's the real me. So 'ow's 'bout ye calm down an' we can talk this over?"

Thankfully for our sanity, it was doing the trick. He began shrinking and his thorns disappeared until he was back to his normal self, and he looked…stunned.

"I…Ivy! Is…is this…This isn't a dream, right?"

She smiled kindly and shook her head. "No, it's one 'undred percent real."

"I…I can't believe…Ivy!"

The two hugged each other, I could hear Envy crying softly, and I could feel myself tearing up, but in a good way. _‘I’d be doing the same if I hadn’t seen one of my sisters in a really long time, more so if I’d been told that they were dead and it turned out that it wasn’t true at all.’_ I quickly wiped away the tears, but Ines was smirking at me, and I stuck my tongue at her.

"I thought I'd lost you for good!"

"Ah! Ye know me be'er than that. I don't give up so eas'ly."

"So you two really _are_ siblings," Alex groaned sadly. "And she's not Jezebel."

"Okay, 'o the bloody 'ell is Jezebel?" Ivy huffed.

"She was this…pirate woman who threatened to cut my throat," Colleen answered.

"And she had this ex-boyfriend named Rorik-" Bretman began.

"Boyfriend? Never 'ad many a those," Ivy scoffed. "My last one made me realize I don't really like guys as much as girls."

"Who was he?" Envy asked.

"Eh, that's not important right now,” Ivy replied, waving away the question. “Right now, I'm sensin' we're short a few members."

"Yeah, some of our friends got kidnapped by this woman named Cecelia," Ro agreed.

Ivy growled. "A course it's Cecelia, that bitch. Well, no time te waste. Let's go, Envy."

"Wait!" Genevieve gasped. "We first need to come up with a-"

But Ivy was gone with Envy in tow, and we were now waiting once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, Envy isn't the Hulk anymore, but now we're having to wait…again. Hate the waiting game.
> 
> Bye for now! R&R everyone!


	5. CHAPTER FOUR: BAD NEWS ALL AROUND

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, world and welcome back to Escape the Night!
> 
> It's a bit later then I normally post, but I had a busy day, so here we are. Onward!

**CHAPTER FOUR: BAD NEWS ALL AROUND**

*****

We’d returned to the rest of the group, which had retreated back to the dorms with the blueprints, and we were briefing them on what happened with Ivy and Envy – when they both arrived, bringing Mystic and Sierra with them.

_‘_ _But where’s Andrea B. and Teala?’_ I wondered, and I would’ve asked, but I got interrupted by Eva.

“Mystic!" Eva exclaimed. "Sierra! Look, I know you _just_ got back, and you still don't have Teala or Andrea, but we _need_ to leave the North Pole. Like, now!"

"Yeah, not gonna happen," Mystic scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I appreciate you trying to lighten the mood with a joke, but these elves have just started being nice to me. I'm not leaving."

"No, Mystic!" Alice exclaimed. "This is no joke. This is serious. Tana found these in the library." And she brought over the blueprints.

Mystic didn’t look convinced. "So?"

"Look at the note."

Mystic sighed and read through it, her eyes grew wide as she connected the dots. "Oh f*," she whispered in fear. "I'm so f*ed!"

"Not if we leave now," Eva assured me. "I don't think they know that we know-"

All of a sudden, the machinery stopped working and the only light we had was from the windows.

“Uh oh,” I muttered, having watched enough _Doctor Who_ , _Supernatural_ , and other related shows to know that this was _never_ a good sign.

"Oh don't worry," a voice purred.

Whirling around, we saw elves upon elves carrying a throne of some kind along with a glowing tiara, and the elves themselves were trouble as well. They had these creepy smiles and they didn't blink.

"We know that you know."

"And I'm afraid we can't let you leave."

"You see, our current power source is nearly drained of her innocence and in a matter of days, she'll be dead."

“Dead?!” I yelped. “You mean you’ve been _deliberately_ draining someone?!”

"So you want me to die? Is that it?" Mystic snapped.

"Oh no, Princess," they chorused. "We don't wish to kill you."

"We've done the calculations, and your innocence is so strong that it can replicate itself."

"We'll never run out of power once you become our source. And you'd be treated like the princess you really are."

They were advancing on Mystic, who was looking for a way to escape.

"Wait, wait, wait," Safiya said. "What's that gold thing?"

The elf she had pointed to pulled out something golden and familiar-looking, it looked like a fraction of a coin. "Oh, this was just something I found."

Genevieve pulled out the two tokens and compared them. "It's a part of the next token," she gasped.

"The next token? Could we have it?" Ro asked. "Please? Pretty please?"

"We'll give it to you in exchange for Mystic."

“No way are we going to do that,” I snapped, I wasn’t about to give away Mystic, even for that token fragment.

"What if we were to…have a competition or something?" Mystic offered, earning alarmed looks from the rest of us.

The elves banded together and whispered before turning back to us. "Very well." They handed Mystic a special paper. "Vote the most innocent ones into the challenge and then select two to compete. We'll be waiting."

With the snaps of their fingers, they teleported us to a parlor nearby, and it was clear to all of us: we were at the next final death challenge.

I was worried for everyone in the group, and I had a deep nasty feeling that I would probably get voted into this particular challenge by someone since it was becoming increasingly apparent, especially to me, that I was useless.

_‘_ _And if I_ do  _get voted into this challenge,’_ I thought,  _‘and I end up losing. Then I’ll be the one put into that machine, and I dread to imagine what that would end up doing to my body in the real world.’_

Yeah, I was fearful for my own life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The most innocent?! Not good, not good at all. Bye for now! R&R everyone!


	6. CHAPTER FIVE: THE MOST INNOCENT

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, world and welcome back to Escape the Night!
> 
> The group has to vote for the most innocent among them, and Delta could very well be targeted. Onward!

**CHAPTER FIVE: THE MOST INNOCENT**

*****

Alice and Mystic exchanged uneasy looks, and they weren’t the only ones doing that. I knew that innocence could be interpreted in many different ways, and depending on the type on innocence wanted, nearly every person present was a possible target, even me. And the thought of going into a final death challenge and losing, that was terrifying me.

“Okay, so should we have, like, a discussion about this?" Safiya asked.

"Yeah, I think a discussion is in order," Colleen agreed. "First off, what even _is_ innocence?"

"I'd say idealism and belief in the good of the world," Matpat suggested.

"Okay, we'll base it on that," Nikita shrugged. "So then comes step 2…who fits that bill?” And she, Manny, and Bretman all immediately looked at Mystic, Alice, Bailey, and Ro.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Mystic exclaimed. "You do realize if I get stuck here, Lydia Waverly's soul could pass on to Alice."

"But they just said you wouldn't die," JC pointed out with a shrug.

"That doesn't mean they're telling the truth," Mystic countered.

"I have two fur babies at home," Ro defended.

"Am strong bear!" Bailey said.

"I've been there for moral support," Alice said.

"Okay, but we still need to put all 4 of you in because you all have idealism and believe in the good of the world," Colleen stated, earning four death glares.

"What about Lisbet?" DeStorm suggested.

Lisbet was shocked. "I…I don't believe there's good in the world!"

"You've got a lot of tells on your face that say otherwise."

"What about Lauren?" Lisbet argued. "She's one of the sweetest people ever."

"Okay, but then Sierra would also have to go in there!" Lauren gasped. "Because she's just as sweet as me, even though we _just_ got her back!"

"Well, Alex should go in then," Sierra argued. "He's super sweet!"

Alex immediately protested. "Whoa, if I'm going in, then Marly and Delta should go in!"

"Don't come for us," Marly snapped.

_‘Oh_ hell _no!’_ "I'm not trying to die!" I protested, my face going red, and I was really wishing that I could just disappear at that very moment. "Wynter?"

Wynter shrugged. "I mean, yeah, I guess there's _some_ good in the world."

"I wish the coven hadn't killed Cyrille," Parris sighed. "She was super innocent."

"Aoibhe?" Tana asked

Aoibhe shook her head. "No, I'm actually kind of a b*."

"That doesn't mean you don't believe that there's good in the world."

"I've seen a lot of s*."

"Sasha?" GloZell asked.

"No, not really," she shook her head.

"Rene?" Safiya asked.

"I mean.…I guess?"

"Anniken?"

"Eh. It depends."

"Envy?"

" _No_ ," Alice asserted. "Over my dead body is Envy going into this!"

"There's no good in the world," Envy claimed.

"You also have a lot of tells on your face, Plant Boy," DeStorm huffed.

"Justine also is kinda sweet," Safiya suggested.

"No, don't put me in there!” Justine shrieked. “I don't wanna get put in a coffin again!"

"We have to, and Roi should go in there as well."

"What if Oli went in?" Eva gulped.

Oli looked at her as if she were telling him she was going to execute him, and she might as well have, all things considered.

I glanced at Lyra, who looked ready to faint at the thought of losing her beloved ship.

"What about people that aren't as sweet, but still believe in the good?"

"Like Gabbie? And Tana?"

"Okay, I think that's enough discussion," Joey said, sighing. "Let's just cast votes.”

_‘_ _He’s right,’_ I thought fearfully,  _‘it’s time to vote, and I could very well end up getting voted into a final death challenge this time around.’_ And I was  _really_ scared, I really was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh geez, will someone actually vote for Delta? Will she go into a final death challenge? Bye for now! R&R everyone!


	7. CHAPTER SIX: SO. MUCH. VOTING.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, world and welcome back to Escape the Night!
> 
> It's time for the group to vote on two who are the most innocent for the final death challenge. Onward!

**CHAPTER SIX: SO. MUCH. VOTING.**

*****

One-by-one, we all went up to the table where Alison had set up the cards, and when I went to vote, I was  _honestly_ shaking in my trainers. Swallowing, I randomly tapped a card and then hurried back to stand next to Ines, who gave my hand a reassuring squeeze.

I know that she was trying to comfort me, but I wasn’t feeling it this time around. As much as I hated being excluded from stuff, being left out of information loops, and even being treated like I didn’t exist, I didn’t want to end up in a final death challenge either.

*****

Eventually the last vote was made, and Alison looked at the group while gathering up the chosen cards. “Has everyone cast their votes?" she asked.

We all looked at each other and nodded.

"Very well," she said, nodding. "I will now shuffle and draw 2." She then shuffled the cards multiple times and the tension built up among all of us, and when she was done, she drew the first card before turning it to show us. "Alex.”

"Who is my opponent?" Alex asked, keeping his expression neutral.

Removing the extra Alex cards from the pile, Alison shuffled them again for several hour-long seconds, and then, finally, she pulled out the second card, looked it over, and showed us. “Gabbie.”

Honestly, no one was really surprised, for it was now looking like this was going to be a repeat of the challenge that Alex and Gabbie faced together in ETN 2, and then an elf ran into the room, heading  _straight_ for Alison.

_‘_ _What is that elf up to?’_ I wondered, feeling suspicious as the elf whispered frantically to the vampire woman before hurrying out of the room.

Whatever it was, Alison wasn’t look thrilled and she made an announcement. “I've just been informed that the rules have changed,” she informed us. “There will in fact be 8 people who will have to face off in a Christmas Gauntlet. I will once again shuffle and draw six more.” And she wasn’t even surprised when we all protested loudly at this.

We watched again, pissed this time, as Alison shuffled the cards once again, and she pulled them out one at a time, showing them to the group.

“Marly. Delta. Matpat. Lauren. Roi. And finally…Aoibhe.”

“I – I – why?” I stammered, feeling fearful. “Why me? _Why?_ ”

“Okay, who voted for me?" Matpat demanded, but no one answered either of us.

“If you 8 would follow me," Alison announced, setting the shuffled deck down. "The rest of you can stay.”

I was shaking like a leaf as we all followed Alison out of the room, hearing several wishes of “Good luck”, and I hope that I was among those being told good luck, ‘cause I was going to need it.

*****

We followed Alison into the workshop, where the elves were waiting, and I saw that they had been busy setting up four different obstacles. I wan’t sure of what they were, but I couldn’t help but feel like I was probably going to lose.

One of the elves approached us and started examining each of us in turn, which I found unsettling, that and I couldn’t help but feel like this elf was up to something.

The elf finally stopped and pointed at both Gabbie and Aoibhe. “These two aren’t idealistic enough,” she declared and she looked at Alison, who was looking surprised since this was unexpected and had never happened on the show. “Take them back and vote for two new ones to take their place.”

I was surprised to hear this. “Really?”

Alison sighed and gestured to Gabbie and Aoibhe. “Come with me.” And they left, heading back to do another vote.

The elf then turned back to those of us who remained, and she looked at each of us in turn, this time stopping in front of Marly and I.

“You,” she said to Marly, “aren’t innocent enough, so you can leave.” She then looked at me. “You are too old, please leave.”

I bristled. “Too old? Too _old?_ I’m 37 years old!” I could handle with people thinking me being younger then I actually was, thanks to good genetics, but too old? Come on!

Marly ended up pulling me out of the workshop, and I let her do it, ‘cause if she hadn’t, I was going to deck the elves.

*****

I was still angry when we reentered the room, where Alison had been about to announce who was going to replace Gabbie and Aoibhe.

“Why did they send you two back?” Joey asked, surprised and concerned.

“They sent us away," I huffed, and I was _seriously_ offended. "Said I was too old or something."

Marly shrugged. "Said I wasn't innocent enough.”

“Very well," Alison sighed. "Now we will have three more drawings. As I was saying, the second person to go in will be…” She shuffled the cards and chose three cards, revealing them. “Anniken. Wynter. And finally… Alice.”

“What the heck?" Alice blanched.

"These elves are sick," Mystic growled.

"Why?" Alice was near tears and I completely understood why.

The four followed Alison out, only to find that Anniken and Wynter were sent back.

"Great," Mystic huffed. "More chances to lose our freedom."

Alison was becoming annoyed, and I didn’t blame her, for I was still pissed at being called too old. "It seems we'll be having a redraw again."

"These elves are _way_ too particular," Andrea R. huffed.

"The first person is…" Alison said, shuffling and pulled out new selections. “Envy."

Ivy looked like she was about to murder someone.

"Th-this can't be happening," Envy gulped.

"We gotta 'ave a redraw!" Ivy demanded.

"And the second person is…Rosanna."

"Oh God," Mystic whimpered, and Ro looked pretty collected for someone who was possibly going to lose their freedom.

And it just so happened Roi was sent back in. "He tried to attack one of us," the elf, who brought him in, said before leaving.

Alison looked ready to hurt someone by this point, and I didn’t even blame her. "Very well. The final person to go into the challenge is… Mystic."

Mystic looked ready to faint. "What the heck?" she whimpered.

"We gotta 'ave a redraw!" Ivy demanded.

"The votes have been cast," Alison sighed. "There's no way to change it. Envy, Rosanna, Mystic. Please follow me."

"Good luck," Justine called out.

"You've got this!" Joey added.

I hoped that they all would get to come back, but since this was a final death challenge, one wasn’t going to come back from this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was already hating the elves for what they were saying about autism, but telling Delta to go away because she's too old? Come on! Bye for now! R&R everyone!


	8. CHAPTER SEVEN: FRIENDS TAKEN…AGAIN!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, world and welcome back to Escape the Night!
> 
> Time to see who will be returning from the final death challenge. Onward!

**CHAPTER SEVEN: FRIENDS TAKEN…AGAIN!**

*****

We all were waiting for quite a while when I heard footsteps heading our way, and Mystic, Alice, Oli, Envy, MatPat, and Ro all came back – without a certain person, and we all knew who the missing person was, but the question did need to be asked.

“Where's…Alex?" Eva asked.

Mystic sighed. "Where do you think?"

"Oh God," Gabbie sighed sadly.

“Not again,” I mumbled sadly, and we just sat there for a while, saying nothing.

"We did get the token piece," Matpat sighed. "So it wasn't terrible."

"He sacrificed himself," Mystic whimpered.

"Mystic, he was supposed to go," Ro tried to comfort me.

"You know perfectly well that those elves wanted _me!_ " Mystic exclaimed. "That's why they tried to see if they could cheat the system. If he'd kept quiet, he'd still be here."

"But you'd be gone," Envy pointed out. "And we need you here."

Mystic glared at plant boi. "Oh, so we don't need Alex? You think he was useless?"

"That's not what I said-" Envy began defensively.

"Enough!" Genevieve snapped. "Both you and Alex are needed, but in terms of circumstance, I'm glad you're back." And there was a moment of silence.

"We're so sorry that none of us said anything," Alice gulped.

Mystic shook her head. "You're fine. A lot of people would've acted the same way.”

That was when the lights began to flicker on and off, alarming all of us. And through the flicker, I thought I saw the silhouette of a small figure in the doorway, but I wasn’t entirely sure. When the lights came back on, I saw it was a little elf girl, who looked sweet, but was clearly tired out, and I had a strong feeling that this poor elf girl had just been freed from wherever the elves had taken Alex.

"Hi," she replied quietly, not making eye contact.

None of us really knew what to make of it for a few moments, and then Mystic figured out who this girl was.

"Is your name Sugarbelle?" she asked her gently.

"My name is Sugarbelle?" she answered slowly.

"Where did you come from?" I asked gently, but she seemed reluctant to answer.

"It's okay, you don't have to tell us if you don't want to," Mystic told her gently, and justly so, the poor elf girl was rocking on her heels.

"Big machine," Sugarbelle finally answered, still rocking on her heels.

"Was this machine white?" Tana asked.

Sugarbelle nodded. "Big white machine."

"Was there a box next to it?" Tana asked.

"Big white machine with a box next to it,” Sugarbelle confirmed. “A…a metal box."

"Can you tell us what you remember of it?" Mystic asked. "You can sit on the couch if you want,” she added. “And don't feel rushed. Take your time."

Sugarbelle rushed to the couch and sat down. We all waited in silence for sometime before she spoke slowly.

"Big sister brought me to library one day,” she recalled. “She said 'let's play a game.' She tied cloth over my eyes. When she took off cloth, I was in machine. Fell asleep then."

Mystic nodded, made sense with what the elves had promised earlier. "And when did you wake up?"

"I just woke up,” Sugarbelle replied. “Big sister pulled me out and I saw stranger boy with dark hair."

"Miss Alexiania," Bretman gasped.

"Alexiania?" she repeated slowly, and Bretman nodded.

"Go on," Mystic encouraged her.

"Then they pushed stranger boy in and I ran out and up here,” Sugarbelle answered. “And time has caught up."

"You…mentioned a big sister," Genevievesaid. "By chance do you remember the name of your big sister?"

Sugarbelle nodded. "Big sister Sugarplum."

My heart dropped when I heard that. _‘Sugarplum_ lied _to us!’_ I thought angrily. _‘She knew where Sugarbelle was this_ entire _time!’_

"I think we've been tricked," Mystic gulped, pulling me from my negative thoughts.

" _You certainly have_ _._ ”

Mere seconds after that all-too-familiar-voice spoke, the lights went off and we all began screaming, and I could hear Envy shouting for Alice. And when the lights came on, we saw that Mystic and Alice were both gone.

They’d been taken!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Crap! Alex is gone, and both Mystic and Alice have been taken by Cecelia! Bye for now! R&R everyone!


	9. CHAPTER EIGHT: TRUST CECELIA?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, world and welcome back to Escape the Night!
> 
> It's September 1st! How did that happen? Man, this year so far…anyway, enough about that. Onward!

**CHAPTER EIGHT: TRUST CECELIA?**

*****

We all were in turmoil, and I was worried that Envy would Hulk out again, now that both Mystic and Alice had been snatched by Cecelia.

_‘_ _This is the_ worst  _Christmas_ ever _!’_ I thought, wishing that I was home and not in this nightmare where friends were getting snatched, dying in final death challenges, and where I was being excluded and treated like I’m invisible almost constantly.

“Oh no!!” Ro cried.

“What do we do!?” Colleen yelped.

“We gotta go afte’ ‘er!!!” Ivy declared, her green eyes flashing with anger.

“Easy for you to say!” Manny complained.

Ivy ignored him and turned to her brother. “Envy, le’s-” and they both teleported away.

I slumped in one of the chairs, feeling useless on a whole new level.

_‘_ _It’s like I can’t do anything right,’_ I thought, trying not to cry yet again.  _‘Like I’m just a big failure and everything I do is wrong…providing that I actually get to_ anything _.’_

I didn’t want to be useless, I didn’t want to be invisible, I wanted to prove to  _everyone_ that I was skilled and could do stuff if given even  _half_ of a chance.

But just about every time I’ve offered to help, I’d been turned away, and I knew it started after the island temple business. I knew this, because before the temple, I had been asked to help with stuff, and it’d been wonderful.

Now, however, I barely get noticed by anyone other then Ines and Nanami-san, who I greatly missed and wished she was there with us, and with each second that passes, those negative feelings were getting even worse.

What do I have to do in order to get them to notice me? What do I have to prove that I can be useful and have useful skills? What do I have to  _freaking do?!_

Just then, there was a flash of light and Mystic and Alice reappeared – and for some reason Cecelia was with them.

Ivy and Envy showed up just as we swarmed Alice and Mystic with hugs, and Joey faced Cecelia with a dark expression on his face.

“Stay back,” he growled.

“Joey, she's not here to hurt us," Mystic assured him, while the rest of us werein shock.

"Mystic, how can you trust her?" Envy exclaimed in disbelief.

Envy nodded, glowering at Cecelia. "She's been trying to take you back to the Cursed God-"

"Well, why would she be coming back with us?” Mystic demanded. “To gloat about capturing us? No!"

"She's evil and unpredictable!" Envy protested loudly.

Mystic frowned and folded her arms. "And you don't think she has a chance at redemption?"

"Not at this rate!” Envy snapped. “She's nothing but pure evil. Why should we trust-!"

"Well, I'll explain if you can just shut your mouth for a _second_!" Mystic shouted, channeling her inner Nikita, and he went quiet. "Thank you," she sighed. "Cecelia and I talked, and as it turns out, she's not actually working for the Cursed God. She's willing to help us get these token pieces to end him."

I was surprised to hear this. “Really?”

"That sounds like b*s*," Candy Pop scoffed. "That b* is pure evil."

"That's rich coming from a demon," Cecelia huffed.

He pursed his lips and gave a nod. "Touché."

"Anyway, is it really such a bad idea to trust her?" Mystic asked.

"Yes!" exclaimed the vast majority of the group.

"She's been in this world longer than any of us,” Mystic pointed out. “She'd know the ropes. She'd know where we can find what we need."

"Ahem," Cecelia cleared her throat. "If I may, I believe I have a way I can help assure your trust in me."

"And what would that be?" Bretman interrogated.

She smirked knowingly. "I know how we can bring some of your friends back from the dead.”

Wait what?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wait, Cecelia can help us bring our dead friends back to life? How? Bye for now! R&R everyone!


	10. CHAPTER NINE: LEAVING THE NORTH POLE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, world and welcome back to Escape the Night!
> 
> Cecelia has joined the group, and there are mixed feelings. Onward!

**CHAPTER NINE: LEAVING THE NORTH POLE**

*****

We all stared at Cecelia, trying to process what she’d just said. She could find a way to restore the lives of our fallen friends? All of them? How?

_‘_ _If Cecelia can really do that, I’ll be amazed,’_ I thought, especially since I wasn’t sure that Cecelia could be trusted, given everything that I’d been told about her, and what I’ve seen her do to Mystic, Alice, Sierra, Andrea B., and Teala.  _‘Andrea B. and Teala are still missing. Why didn’t they come back this time?’_

“Are you being serious?" Safiya asked, breaking the long-held silence and pulling me out of my thoughts.

Cecelia nodded. "I happen to know places and people where resurrections are an option. Speaking of…" She snapped her fingers, Teala and Andrea B. reappeared, and the glaze had disappeared from their eyes, and I wasn’t really surprised to see that they were looking both surprised and confused at the same time.

"We should probably get going then," Mystic said with a sigh. "Where to?"

"What about that Queen of Fiction?" Ro asked.

"I thought you all were sketched out by it," Mystic pointed out.

Ro shrugged. "Well, maybe it's worth a try."

Mystic took it out and read it through again. "Hmm." She thought about it. "I…guess it wouldn't hurt to try. Where's the library?"

"I can show you," Andrea B. offered, and off we went to the library.

*****

We all followed Andrea B. into the library, which I really hadn’t had much of a chance to explore, and I wished that I could, but it wasn’t going to happen, and I really wanted to leave the North pole by this point.

_‘_ _I love libraries,’_ I thought,  _‘but I don’t want to be among those elves anymore, and I want this nightmare of a Christmas to end.’_

“Books?" Sugarbelle asked. "Fiction?"

"Yeah," Mystic nodded. "We're gonna need a fiction book."

Sugarbelle rushed off and brought back a children's book, Mystic took the book, and we all peered at it, but, none of us could quite make out the title.

"Okay, now what?” Mystic wondered, double-checking the letter. “I guess we place the book on the floor, and make a portal." She set the book on the floor, and opened the bag of teastones, taking one of them out. "I wish we had a portal." And a portal appeared in front of the book. “C'mon.”

"Mystic-!" Cecelia exclaimed.

"We'll be fine," Mystic assured her and the rest of us. "What could be worse than this?"

_‘That’s one of those questions that_ shouldn’t _be asked,’_ I thought, suddenly feeling uneasy about where that portal would most likely take us.

However, when Mystic jumped through the portal, the rest of us, including Sugarbelle and Cecelia, followed.

So long North Pole. So long Santa Claus and your workshop. I wish I had a better experience here, I really do wish that.

So long you mean and disrespectful elves, it  _hasn’t_ been pleasant.

And I hope that  _someday_ , someone will come along to rescue Alex and blow the place  _sky high!_

Using the innocence of others as a power source is wrong, and it  _needs_ to be stopped once and for all.

Geronimo!

To Be Continued…

*****

_I have so many, so many regrets._

_So many lies, so many broken ties._

_I wish for my old life._

_Wish I could fix my strike._

_Cause no one truly escapes the night._

_Oh, won't you help me escape the night._

_Oh baby help me escape the night._

_Escape the night._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So long, North Pole, it HASN'T been a pleasure. Bye for now! R&R everyone!

**Author's Note:**

> Delta is really feeling like a stock character, and it's just getting worse. Bye for now! R&R everyone!


End file.
